Таємничий острів

           "Whatareyouthinkingof,captain?Weshouldrunaground,ofacertainty!"

           "Whatwillyoudothen?"

           "Ishalltrytokeepintheoffinguntiltheflood,thatistosay,tillaboutsevenintheevening,andifthereisstilllightenoughIwilltrytoenterthegulf;ifnot,wemuststandoffandonduringthenight,andwewillenterto-morrowatsunrise."

           "AsItoldyou,Pencroft,wewillleaveittoyou,"answeredHarding.

           "Ah!"saidPencroft,"iftherewasonlyalighthouseonthecoast,itwouldbemuchmoreconvenientforsailors."

           "Yes,"repliedHerbert,"andthistimeweshallhavenoobligingengineertolightafiretoguideusintoport!"

           "Why,indeed,mydearCyrus,"saidSpilett,"wehaveneverthankedyou;butfrankly,withoutthatfireweshouldneverhavebeenable—"

           "Afire?"askedHarding,muchastonishedatthereporter’swords.

           "Wemean,captain,"answeredPencroft,"thatonboardthe‘Bonadventure’wewereveryanxiousduringthefewhoursbeforeourreturn,andweshouldhavepassedtowindwardoftheisland,ifithadnotbeenfortheprecautionyoutookoflightingafirethenightofthe19thofOctober,onProspectHeights."

           "Yes,yes!Thatwasaluckyideaofmine!"repliedtheengineer.

           "Andthistime,"continuedthesailor."unlesstheideaoccurstoAyrton,therewillbenoonetodousthatlittleservice!"

           "No!Noone!"answeredCyrusHarding